One of Jovan Belcher's college coaches remembers his easy smile and enthusiasm, which makes Saturday's tragedy even harder to comprehend.

Two lives ended brutally when Belcher, according to police, shot his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, at a Kansas City residence, before shooting himself outside the Kansas City Chiefs' practice facility adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium.

Belcher died at the scene. Perkins died of multiple gunshot wounds later in a hospital.

Dwayne Wilmot, now an assistant coach-defensive line at Yale, was Belcher's position coach at the University of Maine. Wilmot was stunned when he heard of Belcher's death.

"I was hoping that it wasn't true," Wilmot said during a Saturday telephone interview with Sporting News. "When I found out that it was, I was devastated for his mom, his family, all the people that were close to him, and to his girlfriend's family and their infant child.

"It's a tragedy. Knowing the young man that I knew Jovan to be, it's shocking."

Here are facts pertaining to Belcher, a Chiefs linebacker whose life ended at age 25:

— He was a two-sport star at West Babylon (N.Y.) High School on Long Island, where he grew up. Belcher was an All-American wrestler, and defensive standout on West Babylon team that was 9-1 his senior season. He played four positions at West Babylon—nose guard, linebacker, offensive tackle and fullback.

According to Newsday, friends and family of Belcher's were gathered in the driveway outside the family home Saturday afternoon in West Babylon.

— Undersized for a linebacker coming out of high school at about 195 pounds, Belcher was not heavily recruited and attended the University of Maine, the only school to offer him a scholarship. By his senior season, Belcher had become Maine's best player and was named the Colonial Athletic Defensive Player of the Year. Maine reached the I-AA playoffs, and Belcher was runner up for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the nation's best defensive I-AA player.

Buchanan went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after his years in the AFL and NFL — with the Chiefs.

"He grew not only in stature, but as a person,'' Wilmot said of Belcher. "There was energy in the room whenever he walked in.''

— Belcher was not drafted in 2009, but he caught the Chiefs' eye as an undrafted free agent. Belcher made the team as a standout on special teams as a rookie, but became the starting inside linebacker in 2010. Last season, Belcher had his best season with a career-best 120 tackles.

Cosgrove released a statement Saturday afternoon.

"His move to the NFL was in keeping with his dreams," Cosgrove said of Belcher. "This is an indescribably horrible tragedy. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with Jovan, Kasandra and their families."